How To Configure LAN Routing in Windows Server 2016

In our Cisco/CCNA tutorials, you can find a lot about the Routing Basics and Configurations including the configuration guides of RIP, EIGRP, OSPF, BGP, IS-IS, and Static routing methods. We all know that each routing method has its own features and limitations. In a small network such as LAN, you don’t require to purchase an expensive router to perform the routing functions. You can configure LAN routing in Windows Server to perform the basic routing functions for a LAN network. The LAN routing is a Windows server feature that enables you to communicate between different subnets.

To communicate between different subnets, typically a device called router is used. But, you can also use a Windows server, such as Windows Server 2016 server to perform the LAN routing. Since it is an alternative for LAN routing, hence, it does not support all the features as supported by a physical router device (hardware router).

In this post, we will explain a step by step guide to configure LAN Routing in Windows Server 2016. When you enable and configure LAN Routing on a Windows Server 2016 server, the server acts as a software router to perform the routing functions.

Understand the LAN Routing Topology

Before proceeding to the configuration section, please understand the topology that we are going to use to implement LAN routing. We have a domain server named DC1 (10.0.0.100/8) and two member servers named ROUTER and SERVER2 (192.168.0.2/24). The router server has two interfaces, one is connected to DC1 and configured with 10.0.0.1/8 IP address. The other one is connected to SERVER2 and configured with 192.168.0.1/24 IP address. All the servers are running on Windows Server 2016 (TP5) platform.

Install LAN Routing on your Router Server

To install the LAN Routing feature in Windows Server 2016, open the Server Manager console. Click the Add roles and features link, accept the default selection until the Select Server roles page displays. On this page, select the Remote Access server role and then click Next.

Click Next and accept the default selections until the Select roles services page displays. On this page, select the Routing role service.

For the rest of the pages, accept the default selections, and complete the installation process.

Enable the LAN Routing Service

Installing a server role or a feature is not just enough to learn any topic. You need to configure the appropriate settings as well. Our suggestion, you should spend some time to read the descriptions given about the options on the pages. To enable and configure LAN routing, open the Remote and Routing Access console using the Server Manager console.

Select and right-click <Server Name> (local) and then select Configure and Enable Routing and Remote Access.

On the welcome page, read the description, and click Next.

On the Configuration page, select the routing and remote access service that you want to configure, in this case, LAN routing. Is it available on this page? No, it should not be. Use the Custom configuration and proceed to the next page.

Good, you find the LAN Routing feature, select it and proceed to the next page.

Click Next and then click Finish. When the service message box displays, click Start Service to start the required services.

Make sure that the <Server Name> (local) node’s color changes from red to green. You may need to refresh the console.

Since it might be possible that the firewall service on the router server preventing the LAN routing traffic to passing from one network to another. For the testing purpose, close the firewall on router server, temporary.

Configuring Windows Firewall feature will be covered in a separate post. So leave it now.

Verify your Configuration

The good job is done by you, as you have enabled and configured LAN routing on your router server. Now, its time to test your LAN Routing configuration. To do so, switch and sign in to SERVER2 and close the Windows Firewall, temporary.

Next, move on to your domain server DC1. Execute the following commands and examine the out of each command.

Ping 10.0.0.1
Ping 192.168.0.2

Does your output match with the output given in the following figure? Yes, it should match. If not, review your configuration options and try to resolve the issue.If you notice something wrong, don’t hesitate to contact us. It would be highly appreciable.

In this post, we have explained a step by step guide to enable and configure LAN Routing in Windows Server 2016. What’s your feedback? Would you like to share with us? Yes, you’re welcome. Please use the comment box below. You may also share this nice article to others.